Ram-box mechanism for stokers



April 6 1926.

o. ARAM RAM Box MECHANISM FOR STOKERS Filed June 4, 1923 ,2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m I 'IIIIII INVENTOR WITNESSE ATTORNEY April v 6 1926. I

o. ARAM RAM BOX MECHANISM FQR STOKERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 4, 1923 0/10 flram lNVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES Pmm OTTO ARAM, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A COBEORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAM-BOX MECHANISM Fora sroxnns.

Application filedj'une 4, 1923. Serial No. 643,366.

object to provide apparatus of the character designated which may be simply and cheaply manufactured, which may be readily installed and repaired, and which shall permit of taking up ram box wear with great facility.

In my prior application, Serial No. 638,- 119, filed May 10, 1923 and assigned to Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, I disclose and claim a mechanical stoker of the underfeed multi-retort type wherein the separate retort structures are each carried by a pair of angle beams, the retort structures resting within and being embraced by said angle beams.

In accordance with the present invention,

I carry said angle beams forwardly through v the front wall of the stoker and employ them for supporting the respective hoppers and ram box mechanisms. g

Furthermore, by mountmg a frame memthe angle beams for a plurality of retorts, and by mountmg the driving crank shaft and ram boxes'for the respective retorts upon this frame member, I am enabled to line up the crank shaft with facility and I am also enabled to secure proper alignment between the respective cranks andtheir associated ram boxes, as is essential for proper drive of the rams.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is aside view, taken along the center line of a retort of a mechanical stokerof the underfeed type, embodying a front wall structure involving my invention; Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the ram box lining structure employed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the main frame casting employed in the stoker of Fig. 1; Fig 4 is a partial lan view of the frame shown'in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a transverse. sectional YEW on the line VV of Fig. 1 and Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the end of one "of the retorts with the bracket 23.1'emoved.

Referring to the drawing for a more detailed understanding ofmy invention, I show a stoker structure 10 of conventional form embodying a retort 11 and air feeding tuyeres 12. The retort structure is carried by angle beams 13 as fully, disclosed in the aforementioned application. 1 Said angle beams are carried forward through the front wall 14- and terminate, as indicated, at 15.

A hopper casting 16 is provided for each retort and nests within the associated angle beams, this hopper casting carrying the usual hopper 17.

A. main front frame member 18, shown I more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4:, is mounted across thefront of a plurality of retorts and is shown in Fig. as being of such size as to provide for three retorts. vThe frame member 18 has a pair of rearwardly extending flanges 19-19 for each retort, and these flanges are adapted to be fastened to the angle beams for each retort by suitable bolts as indicated at 20-2O in Fig. 1.' The flanges 1919 associated with eachjretort are joinedby. an arch 21 serving to strengthen the same and to define. a ram box supporting structure.- The rear por- .tion of the crown of this arch is bolted to jecting ends of therespective angle-beams in order to tie the operating mechanism into a coordinate whole. Thus, sultable brackets f 23 may be mounted upon the frame member and carry a conventional ram-driving crank shaft 2 1-, and similarly, ram box sleeve members may be carried by, and aligned from, the frame member18 for each retort so that proper alignmentthereof with the respective cranks may be readily secured.

The ram boX sleeve structure comprises "in its essence a lower member 25-and an upper member 26 separated by shims 2727, all as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. The lower member 25 is first seated within the angle irons for theassociated retort andis bolted upon engaged within a notch 81 in the frame member 18, this notch being most clearly shown in Fig. l. The shim members 2727 having been placed in position, clamping screws 32-32, shown most clearly in Fig. t, are forced down upon suitable steps, one of which is indicated at in Fig. 2, thus forcing the upper member 26 toward the lower member 25 to define a cylindrical ram box structure for the reception of a suitable operating ram. A bolt 34 is-then placedthrough the member 18 and the slotted lug 30 to firmly secure the member 26 in place.

It is well-known that the wear in ram boxes is mainly at the bottom thereof because of the weight of the ram and the grinding action of dust and dirt, and it follows that the box soon wears to an oval cross section with the major axis in a verticaldir'ection. in order to compensate for such wear, the upper member 26 may be loosened, thinner shims 2727 inserted, and the upper member 26 again tightened 1 11 place, when it will be found that a close fit of the ram is again secured.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of variouschanges and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only suchlimitations shall -be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specificallyset forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is: j

1. In an underfeed stoker embodying a plurality of retorts, longitudinally extending supporting members for said retor'ts, said ;.me1nbers projecting outwardly through the front wall of the stoker, a laterally extending frame carried by the ends of said projecting members and projecting across a plurality of retorts, and a ram-driving crankshaft carried'by said frame.

2. In an underfeed stoker embodying a plurality of retorts, longitudinally extendingsupporting members for saidretorts,

said members projecting outwardly through the front wall of the stoker, a laterally extending frame carried by the ends of said projecting members and projecting across a plurality of retorts, and a ram-box sleeve structure for each retort fastened to said frame. r p

i 3. In an underfeed stoker en'ib'od'ying a plurality of retorts, longitudinally extending supporting members for said retorts, said members projecting outwardly through thefront wall ofthe stoker, a laterally extending frame carried by the ends of said projecting members and projecting across a plurality of retorts, and a ram box sleeve structure for each retort fastened "to each frame, said structure being formed in an 5. In an underfeed stoker embodying a plurality of 'retorts, longitudinally extending supporting members for said retorts, said members projecting outwardly through the front wall of the stoker, a laterally extending frame carried by the ends of'said projecting members and projecting across a plurality of rctorts, a hoppe'r casting for each retort, and fastening means between each hopper casting and said frame.

(3. In a fuel-feedingdevice for a mechan' ical stoker, a ram box 'eml.)od'yin'g"a lower member, a superposed upper member, a frame surroundin said members to which one of said members is attached, clamping to force the remaining member toward-said attached member, and "shims between said two members.

7. Ina fuel-feeding device for a mechanical stoker, a ram box embodying a lower member, a superposed upper member, a frame surrounding said members to which said lower member is attached, clamping screws passing through said frame and adapted to force said upper half toward said lower half,and shim members between said two members.

8. In a fuel-feeding device for'a mechanical stoker, a ram box embodying a lower member, a superposed upper member, a frame surrounding said members to which said lower nember is attached, slotted fastening means between said upper member and said frame,"clamping means engaging said frame and adapted to force said upper Crember toward said lower member, and shims between said two members.

9. In an underfeed stoker embodying a plurality of retorts, a pair of angle beams supporting and embracing-each retort struc-' tr'ire,'said angle beams projecting through the front wall of the stoker, a 'hopper casting for each retort resting between the associated angle-beams and having a ram box opening, a frame'extending across the front of a plurality of 'retorts and -l1t1Vi11g-IGl1'= wardly extending flanges for engaging the respective angle beams, "said frame being provided with a ram box openingadjacent m'e 'nbe'rsattached'to said "frame and adapted ill) each retort, a lower ram box member for each retort fastened to said frame and to the associated hopper casting, an upper ram box member surmounting each lower member and engaging said frame in a slotted connection, clamping means carried by said frame and arranged to force said upper member downwardly upon said lower member, and shims between said two members.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 10 subscribed my name this 25th day of May, 19:23. I

orro ARAM. 

